Wheat exports restrictions from Argentine government
04 February 20142 min reading
The decision of “wheat export restriction” by Argentina government in order to eliminate the problems in the local supply and keep the prices low was criticized intensely by the farmers.
The Argentine government has limited the wheat exports to ensure local supplies and lower down the prices. Argentine farmers are criticizing the announced government decision which limits wheat exports. They state that official policies have driven up food prices and will make it even harder to do business in the country.
Carlos Garetto, president of Coinagro that is one of the four big farming groups in Argentina, said that due to the surplus of wheat in the country there is more export potential than the 1.5 million tons allotted by the government.
Garetto expressed that Argentina as one of the world’s biggest agriculture producers and exporters harvested 9.2 million tons in the current 2013/14 season, up from 8.2 million tons in the previous season according to estimates by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Garetto said; “The country is never going to lack wheat. The tons are available.”
His comments were made right after Argentine Economy Minister Axel Kicillof announced that the government would only allow 1.5 million tons, or 16% of the 2013/14 harvest to be exported. Of that, only a third can be exported immediately. The government will open up the rest for export gradually. Kicillof said that the decision is designed to keep a lid on the domestic bread and flour prices.
Buenos Aires-based newspaper La Nacion reported that this amount is the lowest exportable amount of wheat since 1978, when 1.44 million tons were allocated for export.
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